For Upstate, the last few years have been a time of profound exploration and self-discovery. As the band knocked off milestone after milestone on the road, their sound, their lineup, and even their name all underwent dramatic metamorphoses. Challenging and thrilling all at once, those changes have finally culminated in the septets dazzling new album, a collection that showcases both their remarkable growth and their adventurous blend of folk, R&B, jazz, gospel, and rock and roll.
Opener: Skye Zentz – Skye Zentz is a professional songwriter and ukulele player from Norfolk, VA. A hometown gal, Skye’s love for her city inspired a grassroots music video for her original song “The Tide”, which won the 2016 Veer Music Award for Music Video of the Year. Her eclectic, soulful music is singable and warm, once described as a “cozy home with many wildly decorated rooms”. Skye composed the original music for the new play “Alice”, which made its debut in April, 2017 at Old Dominion University, where Skye also served as Music Director. Several of her educational children’s songs, including the Telly Award winner “Cut the Sugar”, are featured regularly on PBS Kids. Skye teaches Songwriting and Ukulele at the Muse Writers Center in Norfolk, where she has taught since 2012.
